Mariyun: Okay so I know I should be doing homework, or writing my other stories, but…
Ikuto: You're easily distracted and wanted to write this story
Mariyun: Wow! How'd you guess?
Ikuto: Honestly you're one of the most easily distracted person I know
Mariyun: Ooh, look shiny thingy!
Amu: Just write the story already
Mariyun: Fine I do not own Shugo Chara or any of its products Burrito
Chapter 1 There Goes My Rent Money
"So you see little girl we'll bring back your brother in exchange for that ribbon of yours," the two red headed twins said in unison. I was watching from a distance waiting for the perfect opportunity of to strike. It was impossible to tell which twin was which they were both boys and they were fairly tall compared to me, but then again I'm… short.
"Really you can bring him back!" the girl exclaimed happily. The twins nodded with large grins on their faces. All right Amu don't blow this one! After all the reward for catching these guys is enough to not only pay my rent, but cover any extra expenses I may need to make. I held four pieces of paper in my hand all marked with special symbol that were needed in summoning my shikigami.
"Yes, but first we need the ribbon," the twins said in unison. The girl nodded and removed the ribbon that she was using to tie her hair back.
I leapt from my hiding place, "Stop right there! Soul Stealer Twins, you're under arrest! Prepare yourself cause I'm gonna banish you from this world!"
The Twins leapt back and yelled, "Crap, (let's just pretend they said crap) an onmyoji (basically exorcist)!"
"Ran," I called and a light emanated from the paper I held in my hand with a heart on it. A girl appeared in front of me wearing a pink and white hakama with zori sandals, tabi socks. Her pink hair was tied back into a messy bun with a heart shaped kanzashi ornament. Her red eyes full of excitement and joy.
"What can I do for you mistress Amu," Ran asked. Pulling out her naginata and aiming at the twins who were startled a bit by the sight of a shikigami.
"Defeat Soul Stealer Twins Yo and Yu," I commanded. Ran attacked and the twins weaved through the attacks. The twins disappeared from Ran and my sight. Suddenly I saw them behind me and they lunged at me with their claws. Crap! I managed to dodge the attack but blood was drawn from my cheek. "Miki guard," I said and the paper with the blue spade shinned a light and a blue shield appeared before me. If these spirits think they can beat me they're sadly mistaken. I'm not letting my rent get away! Ran attacked the twins from behind they screeched and attacked Ran again. The twins swooped and aimed at Ran's feet. Ran dodged but barely. The twins then lunged there claws straight through Ran and she returned to being a normal piece of paper. I was prepared to summon my other shikigami when I was pinned to the ground. Suddenly I heard the sound of a cat meowing echo through the air. Suddenly I saw a boy with cat ears and a tail and piercing yellow eyes leap in front of the demons and claw at them with sharp claws. He took swipe after swipe and the twins fell to the ground. What's another shikigami doing here?! The shikigami was wearing a short dark blue men's kimono and a dark blue worn and tattered haori a little large for a boy his size. On his neck I saw a cross choker signify his ownership as shikigami and not just a yokai. His hair was a complete mess and his feet were bare and dirty at the bottom. I ran to get my paper because shikigami paper is expensive and I can barely afford anything as it is. Thank God! The paper is perfectly fine. "Hey you don't interfere! This is my work!" I barked angrily. I can't split this reward.
"Hey is that any way to talk to someone that who just saved your butt," A deep voice said. I looked toward the source of the voice. It was a guy standing in a tree. He was fairly tall and had beautiful indigo hair and eyes he was lean but not too skinny. Fairly handsome he looked to be about my age as well. He was wearing a black jeans and white shirt with a dark blue jacket. I noticed that he had the same choker as the shikigami. So he's the owner.
"I can take care of this myself!" I yelled at the man and he laughed. He pointed back at the twins and I looked the twins were unconscious. When did that happen? The shikigami moved away from them and I approached but was blocked by the boy. He held out shikigami paper and sealed them inside of the paper. "Hey that's my rent!"
The boy sealed them in the paper and tore the paper up, "Rent?" he said very confused by my statement. I nearly fainted at the sight of my rent money being shredded to bits. He just destroyed two evil yokai worth a little over 1 million yen! How much of an idiot can you be!
"Great you just destroyed a 1 million yen yokai duo and didn't even bother to collect the reward!" I screamed.
"Oops, sorry," He said as he dug through his pocket and pulled out a 10,000 yen bill. Is he insulting me?! I mean sure the money would be nice but I do not accept charity. "Here," He handed the bill over to me and turned around.
"What do you take me for I don't want your charity!" I yelled at him throwing the bill back at him. He looked at me a probably a bit surprised.
"If you don't want it you don't have to take it just thought you'd need it," He said and continued to walk he gesture to his familiar "Come on Yoru lets go." They disappeared from my sight and I picked up the bill nonchalantly. Money is still money. Upset and disappointed I went to visit the one person who I could I rely on because likely I'm defiantly getting kicked out of my apartment. I staggered into a ramen shop and collapsed at the bar. A boy with a cheerful face and spiked reddish brown hair greeted me from behind the bar.
"Yo, Amu how's it going," Kukai said as my soul leaked from my body in despair. "I take it you have no money to pay the rent again." He's sure is happy today almost makes me want seal him away and tear him into pieces to make my day better. I guess I should explain Kukai is a yokai known as Kanedama. He's known for carrying money and brining financial luck. Ironically though I'm still dirt poor even with my part time job and I hang out with this guy a lot.
"Hey Kukai can I stay at your place I have a feeling my landlord's gonna kick me out," I sobbed.
"I would but my new girlfriend might kill me," He sighed.
"Since when do you have a girlfriend," I asked as Kukai poured me a complementary bowl of ramen.
"Since I asked her out," Kukai beamed. I began chowing down on the ramen and smiled.
"Good for you Kukai," I smiled it was good to see that he was happy. Well happier. I'd never actually never seen Kukai in an unhappy mood. "Bye the way I think I saw a new onmyoji today do you know him?" Kukai knew almost every onmyoji in Sieyo since his place was one of the most prominent hot spot for yokai.
"What he look like?" He asked.
"Well he was tall had indigo hair and eyes he had a cross choker too. His shikigami was a little boy and looked a lot like aside from yellow cat eyes and cat ears and tail. I think the name of his shikigami was Yoru," I recited trying to remember important details. "The jerk destroyed my rent money!"
"Don't know him the shikigami does sound familiar, but honestly not a clue," Kukai said giving a deep thought to his answer.
"But you know everyone!" I exclaimed surprised that he didn't know.
"Jeez, Amu get through that head of your, that just because I know pretty much all the people in Seiyo doesn't mean I know everyone in the world. I've never even left Japan," Kukai sighed. "On another note how's that part-time job of yours going?"
"Well considering I work nearly 9 hours a day after school and all day on the weekends and hunt small fry yokai in between school work and work I'm doing maybe okay," I said exhausted from all the work I'd been doing.
"I seriously don't get it Amu why not live at dorms," Kukai sighed.
"And be pretty much forced into an arranged marriage, I don't think so!' I exclaimed. I'd heard from my friends who stayed at the dorms that you were bunked with a boy your parent picked out and partnered with for missions. This usually led to an arranged marriage and no way in hell was I ever going to let that happen to me!
"What about asking money from your parent for a change?" He asked knowing my usual answer. "You guys are like loaded."
"The whole point of me living own is to prove I'm worthy of being the heir to the Hinamori family. I can't rely on my parents," I explained. "Maybe I'll just sleep on park bench from now on or if I skip dinner maybe I'll have enough."
"You seriously need to get a grip," Kukai began cleaning the counter as I went through my wallet counting what I had available. "May you be blessed with good luck."
"Coming from you that doesn't offer much help," I muttered and Kukai laughed. "Bye I'm gonna go home or something."
"C ya, Amu," Kukai beamed as I left the shop. It was only midafternoon and I had a couple hours before work. A nap sounds nice about now. I've been working so late it'll be a nice treat. I realized that I have to go to the shrine where I train. I cringed as I walked up the stairs leading to the temple. I reached the temple preparing myself for the worst. I opened the sliding door and bowed at the master.
"Tsukasa-sama it's me Amu," I said respectfully. The room was dark inside and she saw him in the back meditating is his hakama.
"Oh, come in Amu," Tsukasa said. I entered and sat in front of him. "So what brings you here?"
"Well you see master… you know those two yokai I was going to catch… well I kind of don't have them," I stuttered.
"Well that's fine you were the one who sealed them away so I'll transfer the funds to your accounts," Tsukasa smiled.
"Umm, err, well actually I didn't seal them," I mumbled.
"Oh, really? Then who did," Tsukasa said with an icy glare.
"I don't know," I muttered very quietly.
"I see so an onmyoji you didn't know sealed away your prize," a dark aura emanated from Tsukasa even though he still had a smile on his face. "What did they look like?" I described the guy I saw and he looked a bit surprised. "Hmm, so he's still around," he whispered so softly I barely heard it. "If you're smart you'll avoid that man. His name is Ikuto Tsukiyomi. He's one of the best. I used to teach him. He's a psychopath so I'd avoid him," Tsukasa lectured. "Please excuse me I need to see my nephew," Tsukasa left the room. I was so shocked that he hadn't lectured me for an hour that I staggered out of the temple. I continued down the road toward the restaurant where I worked. The shop was a simple coffee shop. I was a waitress at there. Yeah, minimum wage. I went to the back to change and spotted Rima.
"Hey Rima," I greeted. Rima glanced my way and rummaged through bag.
"Hi," she greeted kind of sort of. Rima was in pretty much the same boat as I was. A.K.A broke. I put on my uniform witch was waitress uniform with a short puffed white ruffled skirt. A top with white puffed sleeves. A red plaid corset on my waist with cool red plaid wrist bands with black lace. I also wore high black lace combat boots. I tied my pink hair into twin side pig tales with some black ribbon. Say what you will about me but I love this outfit. It's so cute! Of course it is inconvenient as too where I have to put my shikigami.
"What you looking for?" I asked as Rima continued to go through her bag.
"My yokai repellent. My house is full of bakazori (haunted sandals) and those weird umbrella things. Normally I don't give a damn about the bakazori, but they are so annoying! Every night it's the same damn chant! I can't sleep! I went out bought an ofuda (talisman) from a shrine and everything!" Rima screamed.
"Have you tried using your shikigami?" I asked as I helped her out.
"I did but Kusukusu can't find it and if she can't find it-"Rima trailed off and I knew what she meant.
"Hey I'm probably going to get kicked out of my apartment mind if I stay in yours?" I asked.
"Sure," Rima sighed. "Can't guarantee you'll be able to sleep."
"I'm okay with that. Beets sleeping on a bench," I said.
"Hey don't you normally stay with Kukai and his folks as much as I hate that," Rima said finally finding her ofuda.
"Yeah but he says he can't risk it with his new girlfriend," I sighed. I left the changing room and started waiting on tables. After my shift I staggered over to Rima's apartment. Rima was out getting food from the convenient store. Man I'm starved! I reached into the potted plant by the door and pulled out Rima's spare keys. I opened the door and pulled out the futon. I'm about to collapse. I plopped on the futon and rested my head. Rima walked carrying to tubs of instant noodles. I cooked mine and proceeded to catch some Zzs. Of course that's what I would have liked if it wasn't for that BakaZori (See the pun there)! Man it was annoying but after an hour I finally fell asleep.
Elsewhere
A blonde haired boy sat in the courtyard around the same age as our heroine in appearance. He wore a pale blue yukata. The boy gazed into the courtyard the moon shining, reflecting on the surface of the pond. He gritted his teeth as he heard Tsukasa whisper into his ear and nearly dropped his masu (the cup that they drink sake from) "So that damned cat is still alive," the boy gritted through his teeth.
"Yes and he still has that ridiculous shikigami of his," Tsukasa said bitterly. The boy threw his masu on the ground and stopped away.
'I'll get my hands on you Tsukiyomi and then I'll end your life with my own hands,' the boy thought as he stomped away.
Mariyun: That was harder than I thought
Ikuto: What was so hard about writing this?
Mariyun: I had to actually research this.
Amu: seriously?
Mariyun: *nods head* I also really only came up with how you, Ikuto and, Kukai would be like in the story. So I had to work on that.
Yoru: I look really cool in the story!
Ran: Me too!
Miki: When do I get to come in!
Mariyun: Anyway please R&R